• Inside the December Issue of Inside Supply Management® -- Read more.
  
• ISM Seminar Update — January Topics -- Read more.
  
• What Should I Do to Prepare for the C.P.M. Exam? -- Read more.
  
• Term of the Day -- Read more.
  
• Calendar of Events for January -- Read more.
  
• Contact Us -- Read more.
  

December may be the month for social get-togethers, but in business, "get-together" often means teaming. Many are familiar with the value of cross-functional teams and understand the interdependency one function has on another in an organization. But let's take a broader view: What trends are going to be impacting finance, human resources and IT in the coming years? How will they impact supply management? More importantly, how can supply management capitalize on these trends for overall business success? December's Inside Supply Management®'s cover story, "Cross-Examining Business Trends" takes a strategic look at these opportunistic areas.

In addition to working with other functions, what happens when other functions come into supply management? Inside Supply Management®'s Strategies & Solutions article, "Subject-Matter Experts Add Value to Supply Management" will discuss the benefits of hiring and training individuals from other disciplines to be part of the supply management team.

And the December issue is one you'll want to keep on your shelf. As we have in years past, we present our Annual Article Index — all the articles that have appeared in the magazine in 2004, categorized by subject for easy reference. We also indicate which have C.P.M. Exam relevancy. You can check out past years' indexes online, too.

Also in the December issue of Inside Supply Management®:

• Mitigate risk with supplier analysis
• Hone your strategy for volatile-priced commodities
• Learn the letter of the (international) law
• And much more!

To access the December issue of Inside Supply Management® click here.

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How can you save $200, enhance your purchasing skills and earn Continuing Education Hours? It's easy, just register for one of ISM's professional seminars. ISM is committed to your success and we're presenting the following topics in January:

Power Negotiations: Unlock Your Powers of Influence and Persuasion (#4190)
Jan 24-Jan 26, 2005 — Las Vegas, NV

Fundamentals of Purchasing: The Building Blocks of World-Class Professionalism (#4191)
Jan 26-Jan 28, 2005 — Tempe, AZ

Effective Strategies: Building Purchasing Value for Your Organization (#4200)
Jan 31-Feb 2, 2005 — Dallas, TX

Register 30 days or more in advance to receive the $200 discount. Save even more when you register online. To learn more about ISM's professional seminars or to search other great topics, dates and locations, click here.

If you or a colleague can benefit from attending one or more of these skill-building seminars, contact ISM today. To speak to a Customer Service Associate, call 800/888-6276 or 480/752-6276, extension 401. Or click here to visit ISM online.

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Those interested in taking the exam have a common question, "What should I do to prepare for the exam?" So, ISM asked Dr. Michael A. McGinnis, C.P.M., A.P.P., to prepare some scenarios based on individuals who have tested. He interviewed six individuals representing a wide cross section of those who hold the C.P.M. They included men and women, vary widely in age, work in a variety of sectors, are at different levels in their organizations, live throughout the United States, have varied educational backgrounds, and come from different walks of life. Some were actively encouraged to seek certification by their employers and others were self-motivated. Some passed all four modules the first time and others persevered until they achieved their goal.

One thing that stands out in these scenarios is that there are a lot of different approaches for preparing for C.P.M. (and A.P.P.) certification. No one approach is best. No one approach is worst. Each of these individuals followed a strategy that worked for them.

To read the scenarios click here.

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Today's ISM Term of the Day is: MARKET STRUCTURE.

Definition: The number of sellers in a market and the configuration of it.

A different Term of the Day is posted on the ISM Home Page (www.ism.ws) each day -- 7 days a week. The Term of the Day is taken from the Glossary of Key Purchasing and Supply Terms.

ISM members can access the online Members Only Glossary of Key Purchasing and Supply Terms which includes terms from the private, public, and various industry sectors, and from a wide variety of sources. The Glossary can be browsed alphabetically, or searched by keyword.

To access the Glossary click here.

If you are not a member but would like membership information click here.

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• 1/3
  Release of the Manufacturing Report On Business®
  Nationwide
  
  
• 1/5
  Release of the Non-Manufacturing Report On Business®
  Nationwide
  
  
• 1/8
  Permanent Conference Committee Meeting
  San Antonio, TX
  
  
• 1/12
  ISM Finance Committee Meeting
  Tempe, AZ
  
  
• 1/13
  Deadline for Membership Voting
  Nationwide
  
  
• 1/13
  ISM Board of Directors Meeting
  Tempe, AZ
  
  
• 1/13
  ISM Annual Membership Meeting
  Tempe, AZ
  
  
• 1/17
  ISM Headquarters Closed — Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
  Tempe, AZ
  
  
• 1/24-26
  Power Negotiations: Unlock Your Powers of Influence and Persuasion (3-Day)
  Las Vegas, NV
  
  
• 1/26-28
  Fundamentals of Purchasing: The Building Blocks of World-Class Professionalism (3-Day)
  Tempe, AZ
  
  
• 1/31-2/2
  Effective Strategies: Building Purchasing Value for Your Organization (3-day)
  Dallas, TX

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Questions/Comments? Contact Cheryl Chadwick.

If you would like to sponsor this e-newsletter, contact Cindy Urbaytis.

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